STerpeny@npr.orgNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Neil Tesser is a Grammy Award-winning American journalist, radio host, music critic, and author. In 2015, he received the Jazz Journalists Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz Journalism. Neil Tesser is a Grammy Award-winning American journalist, radio host, music critic, and author. In 2015, he received the Jazz Journalists Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz Journalism. Playlist can be found here .NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Jazz Tonight with Neil TesserSat, 17 Feb 2018 05:45:45 +0000Jazz Tonight with Neil Tesserhttp://wvtf.org
Jackson SinnenbergAlfredo Rodríguez is a figurehead of the new generation of Cuban jazz musicians who observe and honor their roots while constantly seeking new avenues for expression. The 32-year-old pianist's new album, The Little Dream , evokes Keith Jarrett , Jaco Pastorious and Pat Metheny in equal parts, but the rhythms of Cuba, those guïro grooves can get anybody reeling and rocking, are etched into the music's bones. Rodríguez, bassist/guitarist Munir Hossn and drummer Michael Olivera flesh out ethereal, almost pastoral soundscapes, lending a delicate, child-like wonder to the album's heaviest compositions. In "Bloom," the melodies spread and grow, as if they were mirroring the growth and blossom of some magnificent, delicate flower. "Tree of Stars" shrinks the vastness of a starry night into a piquant, delicately pointed rendering of each star's twinkle. "World of Colors," an almost solo feature for Rodríguez, captures ecstatic joy and melancholy in the span of 120 seconds. For every tone poem,First Listen: Alfredo Rodríguez, 'The Little Dream'http://wvtf.org/post/first-listen-alfredo-rodr-guez-little-dream
98222 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 15 Feb 2018 10:01:00 +0000First Listen: Alfredo Rodríguez, 'The Little Dream'Bruce WarrenYou'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs? Not a chance. For Valentine's Day this year, we've modeled our love songs playlist after The Magnetic Fields ' classic 69 Love Songs , a collection of, well, 69 songs about love songs written by Stephin Merritt. Our list includes real sappy love songs, songs about heartbreak, songs about breaking up, songs about getting back together again and songs about the full range of human emotion that can so often be as complicated as they can be simple. We've included a song from Mr. Merritt's opus ("The Book of Love"), classic duets by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell , a handful of jazzy love songs by Ella Fitzgerald , John Coltrane with Johnny Hartman, some punk rock, hair metal and AM radio gold classics. And let's not forget one of our favorite love songs by The Posies , "I May Hate You Sometimes." Happy Valentine's Day from World Cafe. And remember, if you can't be with the one you love for the day, love the one you're with.69 Love Songs From World Cafe http://wvtf.org/post/69-love-songs-world-cafe
98072 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 13 Feb 2018 19:28:00 +000069 Love Songs From World Cafe Sidney MaddenThe U.K.'s jazz scene is flourishing these days thanks, in part, to the young artists pumping it with new life. We Out Here, the latest compilation project from DJ and producer Gilles Peterson 's indie label Brownswood Recordings , is a fitting proclamation of ownership from the contemporaries who are adding color to the landscape. The project's nine tracks were recorded in August 2017 over a three day period. Smooth and concise, this compilation is spearheaded by saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, who is credited as musical director, and features sounds from Hutchings, Maisha, Ezra Collective, Moses Boyd, Theon Cross, Nubya Garcia, and more. Each song has a story of its own, but they all manage to flow together as if one surmounting jam session. "Pure Shade" by Ezra Collective seems to finds its foundation in Afrobeat, and there are accents of bossa nova in "Abusey Junction" by Kokoroko. Shabaka Hutchings' "Black Skin, Black Mask" rides a rhythm defined only by an untamable clarinet. WeLondon's Contemporary Jazz Scene Shines On 'We Out Here'http://wvtf.org/post/londons-contemporary-jazz-scene-shines-we-out-here
97996 as http://wvtf.orgMon, 12 Feb 2018 21:39:00 +0000London's Contemporary Jazz Scene Shines On 'We Out Here'Nate Chinenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70bn2xr-6cE Nellie McKay isn't the type to offer an unthinking inducement to romance. A singer-songwriter drawn to the inherent tensions between surface and substance, she has earned her reputation for unruly drolleries. The least conflicted love song in her repertoire might be the one she wrote, ages ago, about walking her dog . But she isn't an outright skeptic, either. After all, this is someone who recorded an album in glowing tribute to the ingénue Doris Day , and later built a poignant cabaret show around the transgender jazz pianist Billy Tipton. (Other subjects of her wry inquiry have included the environmentalist Rachel Carson and the comedienne Joan Rivers.) The bottom line for McKay, it would seem, is that there's always another level, a deeper layer. And this much remains true on her new version of "The Nearness of You," performed alone at the piano and offered here just in time for Valentine's Day. "The Nearness of You" is a veritable jazzSongs We Love: Nellie McKay, 'The Nearness Of You'http://wvtf.org/post/songs-we-love-nellie-mckay-nearness-you
97965 as http://wvtf.orgMon, 12 Feb 2018 14:04:00 +0000Songs We Love: Nellie McKay, 'The Nearness Of You'Sydnee Mondayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXld33YuKNo I was searching when I first heard Alice Coltrane 's music. The summer of 2016 was sticky and humid; the air was swollen with loss. Within a two-day period in early July, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were shot and killed by police in Louisiana and Minnesota. Castile's fiance, Diamond Reynolds, live-streamed the traffic stop for a broken tail-light gone awry, the barrel of the officer's gun still pointed inside the car as Castile bled out. Reynolds' 4-year-old daughter watched from the back seat. Within a week, news broke of a gunman in Dallas killing 5 police officers, the deadliest attack for law enforcement in the U.S. since Sept. 11th. But news of yet another killing by police seemed to break every day. It had been relentless since Michael Brown in 2014, and a visceral kind of hopelessness had drifted in like fog as the names and the cities piled one on top of the other. So when an acquaintance recommended meditation, I was annoyed.Meditating On The Healing Power Of Alice Coltrane's 'Journey In Satchidananda'http://wvtf.org/post/meditating-healing-power-alice-coltranes-journey-satchidananda
97584 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 06 Feb 2018 15:00:00 +0000Meditating On The Healing Power Of Alice Coltrane's 'Journey In Satchidananda'Nate ChinenMike Reed: The World That I'm Inhttp://wvtf.org/post/mike-reed-world-im
97360 as http://wvtf.orgFri, 02 Feb 2018 15:58:00 +0000Mike Reed: The World That I'm IneditorIn 2001, McPartland introduced Piano Jazz audiences to Liz Magnes, one of Israel's most dynamic and creative solo jazz pianists. Her signature style blends Eastern and Western influences, creating a world music flavor. Magnes moved to New York in 2000, going on to perform coast to coast and dedicating much of her time to arts education. In this session, Magnes presents her percussive form on "Someone to Watch Over Me." She and McPartland team up for "Ain't Misbehavin'." Originally broadcast in the fall of 1997. SET LIST "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Gershwin) "Go to the Desert" (Argov) "Embraceable You" (Gershwin) "Skylark" (Carmichael, Mercer) "Here's that Rainy Day" (Burke, Van Heusen) "Prayer for Peace" (Magnes) "Little Star" (Magnes) "Ain't Misbehavin'" (Waller) Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Liz Magnes On Piano Jazzhttp://wvtf.org/post/liz-magnes-piano-jazz
96901 as http://wvtf.orgFri, 26 Jan 2018 19:47:00 +0000Liz Magnes On Piano JazzDavid DyeMcCoy Mrubata was born in 1959 in Cape Town, South Africa. He left school after the 1976 Soweto uprising , first dedicating himself to painting and later to music. Playing the flute and saxophone, he toured alongside Hugh Masekela in the '90s and has led his own bands. We were lucky to record Mrubata during World Cafe 's visit to Johannesburg. He talked to us about how jazz was impacted by apartheid and where he sees the genre going now. Kicking off the session, Mrubata and his band started with his song "Brick Walls." Hear that and more in the player. Copyright 2018 XPN. To see more, visit XPN .Sense Of Place, South Africa: McCoy Mrubata http://wvtf.org/post/sense-place-south-africa-mccoy-mrubata
96800 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 25 Jan 2018 20:49:00 +0000Sense Of Place, South Africa: McCoy Mrubata Lars GotrichNote: NPR's First Listen audio comes down after the album is released. However, you can still listen with the Spotify or Apple Music playlist at the bottom of the page. When you live with music long enough, the lessons you learn take on different characters. How you experience the lyrics of Neil Young 's "Don't Let It Bring You Down" as a 20-something can be profoundly different decades later. The true is same of challenging, instrumental music. The ferocious free jazz and raw, unwinding compositions of saxophonist Albert Ayler were an inspiration to Dark Meat over a decade ago. In numbers that sometimes swelled to 18 members, the Athens, Ga.-based band applied Ayler-ian noise to Southern rock in a manic carnival atmosphere. Having witnessed the spectacle myself back in the day, it was fun and weird and occasionally debaucherous, but Dark Meat was only scratching the surface of what made Ayler so pivotal. Brooklyn's Sunwatchers features three former members of Dark Meat (Jim McHugh onReview: Sunwatchers, 'II'http://wvtf.org/post/first-listen-sunwatchers-ii
96764 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 25 Jan 2018 13:20:00 +0000Review: Sunwatchers, 'II'Nate ChinenNote: NPR's First Listen audio comes down after the album is released. However, you can still listen with the Spotify or Apple Music playlist at the bottom of the page. Julian Lage is the sort of musician who makes every gesture feel both easeful and essential. A guitarist who came up in the spotlight, first as a prodigy and then as an apprentice, he's now 30, a seasoned hand. And you could argue that he's accessing ever deeper levels of artistry with his music, forging ahead while remaining true to himself. Exhibit A for that argument would be his expressive, smartly focused album Modern Lore — a showcase for Lage's working trio, with Scott Colley on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums. This is the second such album, following Arclight in 2016. But where that studio release carried an implicit agenda — establishing Lage's foothold as a bandleader, highlighting the catholicity of his tastes — this one feels loose and unburdened. It's the strongest album of Lage's career so far, and theReview: Julian Lage, 'Modern Lore'http://wvtf.org/post/first-listen-julian-lage-modern-lore
96765 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 25 Jan 2018 12:57:00 +0000Review: Julian Lage, 'Modern Lore'Nate ChinenFred Hersch is no stranger to the art of introspection. As a pianist, a composer, a bandleader and a sideman, he has always combined clarity of projection with a willingness to go deep. His latest expression of interiority is a graceful and revealing memoir, Good Things Happen Slowly, which takes shape as a gradual declaration of selfhood, in personal as well as artistic terms. This week, Jazz Night in America joins Hersch in conversation at his loft in SoHo, to talk about his upbringing in Cincinnati, and the early realization that he was gay; about his scrappy arrival on the scene in New York, back when certain gigs stretched past dawn; about his death-defying recovery from a coma in 2008; and about the creative breakthrough he had a few years before that, adapting the work of a personal hero, the American poet Walt Whitman. Hersch developed Whitman's Leaves of Grass into an elegant song cycle, featuring two articulate vocalists, Kurt Elling and Kate McGarry . The piece has beenFred Hersch And The Art Of Introspectionhttp://wvtf.org/post/fred-hersch-and-art-introspection
96384 as http://wvtf.orgFri, 19 Jan 2018 20:43:00 +0000Fred Hersch And The Art Of IntrospectioneditorBy 1938, clarinetist Benny Goodman was already known as "The King of Swing" — the leader of the most popular dance band in America at a time when swing jazz was America's most popular music. But nobody knew how it would be received in Carnegie Hall, America's temple to classical music. "That January 16 th back in 1938 was a Sunday, and a cold one," Goodman recalled in a commentary recorded 12 years later. "We didn't quite know what would happen. How we would sound. What the audience would think of us. Until they got there, we didn't even know how many people would be on hand. So we just went out and played." The concert was recorded, but there were no plans to release it. "Benny Goodman's Carnegie Hall Concert of January 16 th , 1938, historically, is the most important concert in jazz history," says Phil Schaap, curator of Jazz at Lincoln Center . Schaap produced the Columbia Records album reissue of the 1938 concert and says the event – with no dancing and no booze — elevated jazz toHow Benny Goodman Orchestrated 'The Most Important Concert In Jazz History'http://wvtf.org/post/how-benny-goodman-orchestrated-most-important-concert-jazz-history
96216 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 16 Jan 2018 21:35:00 +0000How Benny Goodman Orchestrated 'The Most Important Concert In Jazz History'Nate ChinenNote: NPR's First Listen audio comes down after the album is released. A continuity and a break: That's the history of The Bad Plus in a nutshell. An acoustic piano trio with the combustion properties of a post-punk band, it emerged in the early 2000s to an uproar — its surging attack and shrewd repertoire were framed as a radical split from the jazz tradition. Gradually a more perceptive view emerged, one that acknowledged where the band was really coming from. Now the focus has shifted to where it's headed. The new year marked the end of the line for The Bad Plus as it had always been known, with Ethan Iverson on piano, Reid Anderson on bass and Dave King on drums. The reasons were complicated , and remain so. But the facts are plain enough: Iverson has left the band. His piano chair has been filled by Orrin Evans , whose first documented work in that role can be heard on a new studio album, Never Stop II. That title should be one clue as to the band's intentions. Never Stop ,Review: The Bad Plus, 'Never Stop II'http://wvtf.org/post/first-listen-bad-plus-never-stop-ii
95861 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 11 Jan 2018 10:01:00 +0000Review: The Bad Plus, 'Never Stop II'Nate ChinenA little over 75 years ago, Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire introduced "I'm Old Fashioned," a graceful, guileless ballad that dismisses the latest trends in favor of timeless romantic verities: the glow of moonlight, the holding of hands, "the starry song that April sings." The song — by Jerome Kern, with Johnny Mercer 's lyrics — forms an elegant set piece in the film musical You Were Never Lovelier (with Hayworth's singing ghosted by Nan Wynn). It has since become a jazz standard, with dozens if not hundreds of versions on record. Kat Edmonson , an avowed fan of Astaire's films, probably had "I'm Old Fashioned" in the back of her mind when she wrote "Old Fashioned Gal," the title track of an album due out in the spring. But as a socially observant singer-songwriter in a social media age, she's also well aware that the bar for antiquarianism has moved since 1942. So instead of waxing poetic about the moon and stars, she pines for a respite from pop-up ads and notifications, for a phoneSongs We Love: Kat Edmonson, 'Old Fashioned Gal'http://wvtf.org/post/songs-we-love-kat-edmonson-old-fashioned-gal
95636 as http://wvtf.orgMon, 08 Jan 2018 16:28:00 +0000Songs We Love: Kat Edmonson, 'Old Fashioned Gal'editorLorraine Desmarais made her first appearance in the United States at the 1986 Great American Jazz Competition, where she took the highest honors. In 2012 she was awarded the prestigious Order of Canada for her work bringing Canadian jazz to the world. She was Marian McPartland 's guest for this 1991 episode of Piano Jazz . Desmarais performs a few of her own compositions, including "The Third King" and "Memoir," along with a set of standards. Originally broadcast in the winter of 1991. SET LIST "The Third King" (Desmarais) "Memoire" (Desmarais) "Mr. PC" (Coltrane) "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Gershwin, Gershwin) "There Will Never Be Another You" (Gordon, Warren) "Hold Up" (Desmarais) "Sometime Ago" (Corea) "Donna Lee" (Parker) Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Lorraine Desmarais On Piano Jazzhttp://wvtf.org/post/lorraine-desmarais-piano-jazz
95502 as http://wvtf.orgFri, 05 Jan 2018 20:12:00 +0000Lorraine Desmarais On Piano JazzPatrick JarenwattananonEvery year, each of the eight members of the SFJAZZ Collective is tasked with two writing assignments. The first: Compose a new piece specifically for the band, which gathers some of the most outstanding performers on the modern jazz scene. The second: Rearrange a composition by the elder artist that the Collective has chosen to feature that year. For the 2014-15 season, SFJAZZ is paying tribute to a tenor saxophone titan, a composer of classic tunes and a long-time San Francisco resident: the late Joe Henderson. From the purpose-built SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, Jazz Night In America features the SFJAZZ Collective as it reimagines Joe Henderson — both iconic standards like "Recorda-Me" and lesser-known material — and imagines new jazz works specifically for its own strengths. Personnel Miguel Zenón, alto saxophone; David Sánchez, tenor saxophone, Avishai Cohen, trumpet; Robin Eubanks, trombone; Warren Wolf, vibraphone; Edward Simon, piano; Matt Penman, bass; Obed Calvaire, drums.SFJAZZ Collective Plays Joe Henderson And Morehttp://wvtf.org/post/sfjazz-collective-plays-joe-henderson-and-more
95253 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 02 Jan 2018 18:53:00 +0000SFJAZZ Collective Plays Joe Henderson And MoreeditorThe Hammond electronic organ was developed with churches in mind, as a lower-cost alternative to pipe organs. But in Philadelphia, a keyboard player named Jimmy Smith was inspired by early jazz experiments on the instrument, and found a devastating way to adapt the new bebop style to the Hammond B-3. It seeded a new tradition of organ players in Philadelphia — major figures like "Groove" Holmes, Jimmy McGriff, Papa John and Joey DeFrancesco, and Trudy Pitts — and kickstarted a new sound in jazz at large. Jazz Night In America visits Philadelphia for a history lesson and dance party: a tribute to organ masters Smith, Shirley Scott and Charles Earland with six local organists, multiple bands and three guest vocalists. With WXPN, WRTI and the Philadelphia Jazz Project, Jazz Night visits World Cafe Live for a B-3 jam featuring many of the city's finest musicians. Copyright 2018 WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center. To see more, visit WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center .Home Cooking: The Philadelphia Jazz Organ Tradition In Concerthttp://wvtf.org/post/home-cooking-philadelphia-jazz-organ-tradition-concert
95254 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 02 Jan 2018 18:50:00 +0000Home Cooking: The Philadelphia Jazz Organ Tradition In ConcerteditorIt's not as if there were ever clear paths for cello players beyond the European classical tradition, but Akua Dixon made one for herself. The New York City native found work in the pit band of the Apollo Theater, the multi-racial Symphony of the New World, and the bands of many jazz musicians — including drummer Max Roach's Double Quartet. As she developed her jazz chops, she also started her own string quartet, featured prominently on her new self-titled album. Akua Dixon also features her crafty arranging for strings over jazz standards and Afro-Latin grooves. Jazz Night In America visits Sistas' Place in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn — a year-round venue which also helps to present an annual month-long grassroots festival in the heavily African-American neighborhood — to take in Akua Dixon's performance at the Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival. In addition to the string ensemble featured on her latest album, Dixon is also joined by her two children: vocalist Andromeda Turre and drummerAkua Dixon At Central Brooklyn Jazz Festivalhttp://wvtf.org/post/akua-dixon-central-brooklyn-jazz-festival
95255 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 02 Jan 2018 18:47:00 +0000Akua Dixon At Central Brooklyn Jazz FestivalPatrick JarenwattananonFor decades, David Murray was known as one of New York's most monstrously talented and astoundingly prolific artists — a tenor saxophonist who played and wrote for just about every imaginable context. He's still these things, but he lives in Europe now. So this year's Winter Jazzfest — already jam-packed with over 100 acts in two nights — saw fit to give New York audiences a proper saturation of what they'd been missing, presenting David Murray in three completely different sets. Jazz Night In America filmed two of those sets at the Minetta Lane Theatre as part of Winter Jazzfest in early 2015. A four-man clarinet summit — featuring Murray with fellow reedmen Hamiet Bluiett, David Krakauer and Don Byron — echoes the project he played in with clarinetist John Carter in the 1980s. And a new collaboration with Geri Allen (piano) and Terri Lyne Carrington (drums) found the three improvising openly around loose themes. Copyright 2018 WBGO and Jazz At Lincoln Center. To see more, visit WBGO A David Murray Double Billhttp://wvtf.org/post/david-murray-double-bill
95256 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 02 Jan 2018 18:44:00 +0000 A David Murray Double BilleditorNPR's New Year's Eve tradition returns in this year's Toast of the Nation jazz party. Spirited and swinging, each hour of our annual all-night broadcast features a different live performance sure to get you ready for 2018. Right now, you can enjoy all six hours of music any time of day or night — complete with festive Happy New Year messages throughout. Hosted by Christian McBride , it's the perfect complement to your holiday festivities. Hear John Scofield 's Uberjam Band at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Dayme Arocena at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, Terence Blanchard at the Tri-C JazzFest in Cleveland, the Herlin Riley Quintet at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in New York, selections from some of the best jazz Tiny Desk Concerts and performances from Blue Note venues around the world. Copyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Toast Of The Nation 2018http://wvtf.org/post/toast-nation-2018
95144 as http://wvtf.orgSun, 31 Dec 2017 13:33:00 +0000Toast Of The Nation 2018